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Jacobs Ladder (pt 1)

“The clouds prepare for battle In the dark and brooding silence Bruised and sullen storm clouds Have the light of day obscured Looming low and ominous In twilight premature Thunder heads are rumbling In a distant overture... “

The rangy tall man with the straggling blond hair made a loop in the rope and tied Hyle to it.

“We don’t want you wandering off and getting lost now, do we?” His grin showed a little concern.

The line of men trudged on upward, onwards to their objective. Three in front four behind Hyle, although Hyle could barely make out the leader in the fog.

“’Bout 1500 feet, ay?” The Canadian drawl from the front man as he stared into his screen. “About half way up. You okay there Hyle?”

“Jeg er fint…!” She pushed a smile onto her face.

Deep inside, Hyle was doubting her abilities. The wet mosses and grass under her feet would undoubtedly seize any opportunity provided by a careless step to pull her down. Slippery black rocks awaited the chance to roll from under fragile ankles.

Somewhere out there the archipelago should be revealing itself in all its unspoiled splendour. The fact was Hyle could barely see ten meters into the grey gloom that surrounded the explorers.

“Just look at the way ahead, not google. Or is it porn?!” The voice came from somewhere behind Hyle, who coughed a short laugh.

“Death by Pornhub. Can you imagine that, Constable? Amazing. He’s too busy watching titties and walks over a cliff, taking the rest of us with him. How selfish can you get, huh?” The blond guy added, peering with a grin back at Hyle.

And so it went on. Metre after metre, higher and higher, on and on. Deeper into the gloom. The silence pervaded the chatter. Even the cries of the omnipresent seabirds was missing. Even they had obviously deemed it unsafe to fly in this gloom. From time to time a sheep may call, but nothing more.